Flower, Words, and Wings
by Esbeth
Summary: Young, starry-eyed Petra Ral begins a journey towards her life-long dream of joining the Scouting Regiment. As she ascends the ranks, she is recruited into the elite Special Ops team, serving under humanity's greatest soldier, Levi. She and members of the squad shoulder the responsibility of bearing the hopes and dreams of the world. Rating to change in the future, Petra x Levi.
1. Young Memories

Petra held the tiny pinwheel in her hand, as the wind pushed gently against it. The young girl of seven, sat alongside her father as he drove forward the supply cart, filled with fresh fruit and vegetables haggled from the nearby farmers. Their horse plodded serenely along the dirt path towards the family's small supply store, tucked within the safe embrace of Wall Maria.

The cart passed underneath trees and sun-dappled road, the rhythmic clop of hooves and warm sunlight coaxed her to sleep. She tucked away the pinwheel, closed her eyes, and leaned against her kindly father. She felt an affectionate hand smooth her hair against her forehead.

She felt safe.

It wasn't until she heard the rushed cadence of hooves and squeaky wagon wheels that her eyes fluttered open. A caravan of soldiers traveled towards them on the same dirt path. Even in the distance she could make out their imposing, purposeful forms.

As their cart moved closer to the unfamiliar rows of men and women, she clung tightly to her father with apprehension.

"Petra," Her father spoke gently, "These are soldiers of the Scouting Legion. They're heading outside the wall."

She tensed, and her eyes opened wide in surprise. She had heard stories of the monsters beyond the wall. The children at school would play _Titan_, and flail their arms and gnash their teeth as they chased each other around the yard.

She _hated_ that game.

"Why are they going?" she asked suddenly.

Her father looked down at her sadly. She was still so young, but he had to tell her the truth.

He wrapped an arm around her soothingly and explained, "Long ago, we didn't live behind walls. Now, with more and more people inside, we don't have enough room to grow food. These soldiers need to go outside to search for land and stop Titans from coming too close."

"Aren't they scared?" she questioned.

He glanced towards the soldiers with a strange melancholy, "I'm sure they are..." he replied. "They risk so much for us, so we must always do what we can to help them, understand?"

He hailed down the soldiers while stopping his cart. He moved to the back and began to fill rucksacks with supplies to give to them.

"Over here, Petra." her father ushered.

The young girl swung her legs off the front seat, jumping to the ground. She ran obediently to her father.

"Take these," he handed her a bag filled with fresh, crisp apples, "Give them to each soldier. Tell them...thank you."

Her tiny hands wrapped around the rough, woven bag. The abundance and weight of the apples was a little much for her, but she managed to drag them along the ground.

As she clung to the bag, she felt uneasy. She wasn't sure why, but her father's, '_Thank yo_u.' sounded more like, '_Goodbye_.'

As she slowly made her way towards the column of soldiers and horses, tears began to streak across her face, but she wiped them away hurriedly before she reached them.

Her hands fished out apples as she held them out to each soldier, allowing a small squeak of, "Thank you." to each member.

_Goodbye_.

They smiled in response, gratefully accepting the gift.

"Were you crying?" asked one of the soldiers.

Petra shook her head vigorously, _no_, but her tear stained cheek proved otherwise.

They looked to each other in amusement.

A young female soldier with jet-black hair stepped forward and kneeled next to Petra. "Are you scared of us?"

Again, she shook her head _no_.

The woman smiled patiently, "Are you afraid since we're going outside the wall?"

Petra didn't respond, she only averted her eyes and looked down at her feet.

A blonde-haired soldier slung a bag off his shoulder, kneeling in front of the young girl. His gloved hand reached in and delicately pulled out the most beautiful flower her young eyes had ever seen.

The petals were a mix of reds, purples and yellows, the stem that held them was a brilliant, verdant green.

"It can be dangerous outside of the walls...but there are also many beautiful things." he spoke reverently while spinning the flower gently in his hands.

Petra's golden eyes blinked, and she looked at it wonderingly.

"Take it." he offered, as he held it out to her.

Her small hands wrapped around the stem.

"It's ok to be afraid," he explained, "...but our choices must always be guided by our hopes, not our fears."

His blue eyes were reassuring, and she offered a small, "Thank you." in response.

"Petra!" her father beckoned.

She turned toward her father's voice, and ran back to him as she cradled the beautiful gift the man had given her.

As their cart continued their journey home, Petra looked back towards the caravan of soldiers, and she caught sight of their green capes emblazoned with blue and white wings, as the wind billowed against them.

As their forms disappeared into the horizon, she would forever remember the flower, the words, and the wings.

**==Author's Notes:==**

To be continued...

Starting off with some origin backstory - but hope to pick things up quickly.

Btw...just saw ep. 24, and it made me sad during that one beginning scene in the empty dining hall. You know what I"m talking about :(

Please R&R! Reviews are seriously my fuel, and I always get a HUGE smile on my face anytime I see someone take the time to comment, even if it's small :) Hope to have the next chapter up soon!


	2. Starry-eyed Girl

Petra pushed open the windowsill of her room, the crisp breeze pushed passed the faded, sheer curtains and fluttered pleasantly against her face. Beyond the bedroom window lay the rolling green hills of Trier, her quiet hometown, with its small homes and rolling acres of farmland dotting the picturesque landscape.

She turned to the washbasin, pooling water into her hands before splashing it against her face. Her fingers gripped the edges of the basin, her upper body hovered above to allow it to catch the residual drops of water. She blindly reached for a towel and pushed it against her face.

_This was the day to tell them_. She thought quietly.

She slid the towel from her face and looked into the mirror that hung across from her. Her mind reassuringly replayed the words scripted in her head, but her heart could only beat faster.

_How_ could she tell them?

X

_Petra sat cross-legged on the floor, an old map book laid across her lap. She had skimmed the book cover-to-cover many times before. Her fingers__ delicately pushed aside the pages to reveal the dried, pressed flower that was given to her those many years ago._

_"Dad? Is it strange that I want to go beyond the walls?" she addressed her father who sat at the kitchen table._

_Her father looked at her with concern, "Don't let your mother hear you, she'll worry." he chastised._

_"...is it strange?" she repeated._

_"No, it's not strange at all." He answered plainly, "...but you have to understand there's a reason why we're behind these walls. You've seen the Scouting regiment pass by here many times before. They leave here with smiles and dreams and return with broken hearts and shattered bodies."_

_Petra averted her gaze, "That's...not..."_

_Her father sighed, "You're sixteen now, and I know you have a romantic heart-"_

_"Dad!"_

_"No, listen to me. The Scouting Regiment is a noble endeavor, but I don't want to see you return on a cart..."_

_Petra looked to him, "You told me we should do all that we can to help them, right? They set up the recruitment stands, and people walk by them like they're invisible. It's...it's sad!"_

_"Petra," he scolded, "...indulge your father. Yes, we should help as much as we can - but I'm also a selfish old man when it comes to his family." He looked to his daughter meaningfully, "I want what's best for my daughter..."_

_Petra sat quietly as she absorbed his words._

___Her father's eyes softened as he looked over her slumped form on the floor. He got up from his chair and strode to her, ruffling her hair with a smile, "My starry-eyed girl...you're so gentle. I know you want to help...but when you get older, you'll understand that this quiet life is what true happiness is."_

___She heard her father's footsteps retreat into the next room, leaving her alone with her thoughts._

___'Our choices must always be guided by our hopes, not our fears.'_

___Petra absently began to trace the contours of the flower, and she remembered._

X

She was never meant to be a soldier.

She was meant for a life forever embraced within the sweet comfort of her hometown. She was meant to help run the family's supply store, and look after her two younger siblings. She was meant to one day meet a man who would sweep her off her feet and start a family of her own.

Petra was never meant to be a soldier, but on a bright blue morning she broke the news to her parents.

_"I've enlisted in the 100th training regiment...I'll be leaving for the grounds next week..."_

The words floated and hung in the air. Petra nearly thought they didn't come from her, but she felt the rawness in her throat swell as she watched the eyes of her parents widen in shock.

Her mother immediately burst into tears, and her father could look only return a mute, expressionless stare.

"Petra," her mother spoke as she sniffed against her worry, "...don't do this. Stay here...you're still so _young_!" She pulled her daughter into a fierce, protective embrace and wept, "..._don't do this_…" came her muffled voice.

Petra could only hold on helplessly to her grieving mother, as she glanced to her younger brother and sister, sitting at the table, who in turn began to cry sympathetically in response to their mother.

She had wanted to cry too.

She knew that her family wouldn't take the news well, but she was completely unprepared for the emotional tide that hit her at this very moment. She felt her mother shaking in her arms, and she closed her eyes tightly.

"Anna, come away." Petra's father softly coaxed his wife from her entangled grasp upon their daughter. He moved in gently and took his wife's arm.

She reluctantly stepped away and latched on to her husband, "Talk to her Nicolas, tell her to _stay_." she pleaded urgently.

Petra's father looked to his daughter, his mouth set in a firm line.

"Petra," he began, before reaching out to place a hand on top of her head, "You've talked about this before...and I'm not ready to give you up. I suppose no father ever is..." His eyes looked at her sadly, "...but I won't stop you either."

She heard her mother stifle a sob against the back of her hand, and her own throat became tight and dry, "Father," she spoke haltingly, "..._thank you_."

"Petra, my starry-eyed girl..." he pulled her into an embrace, "Promise us you'll write often?"

Petra wiped away the burgeoning tears that threatened to spill from her eyes and she beamed up at him. Her smile forever reminded him of the little girl he would always see her as.

"I promise."

**==Author's Notes==**

Next chapter: Training Day

Petra finds herself on the unforgiving grounds of the 100th training regiment. There, she meets up with future squad mate, Auruo. Aww Auruo~ (light..._light_...one-sided AuruoxPetra to come?)


	3. Training Day

"One more lap, pick it up, _now_!" bellowed the drill instructor.

The members of the 100th training squad ran across the field in the morning sunlight.

Training had started just before dawn, their only fuel came in the form of a cooked egg, a piece of bread, and a cup of coffee.

They had been running for nearly two hours.

As the dust kicked up from the grassless, dirt landfill, Petra could feel the sheen of sweat stinging her eyes, her lungs were raw and on fire. She blinked against the pain and continued to run. She felt a rush of relief as she neared ever closer to completion.

A loud voice boomed, breaking her concentration, "Ha! Gullible cadets, you thought _this_ was the last lap?! _Five more_!"

A rumble of dissatisfaction went up from the exhausted group.

"What was that? You wanted more? Fine! _Ten more_!"

This time the cadets wisely kept quiet, and all that could be heard was the sound of boots hitting the ground and the sharp exhales of labored breathing.

X

At the mess hall, Petra stared blankly ahead as she mechanically ate the night's dinner, a small portion of chicken, green beans, and half a potato.

Everything in her body _hurt_.

The day had been exhausting, and she could feel the protesting heat of her muscles radiating outwards. She knew tomorrow morning her body would be screaming, but for now, she would eat in silence and soothingly knead her exhausted muscles.

"Hey," came a deep rumble from the man who appeared in front of her.

The voice quickly broke Petra from her reverie, and she looked up to see a tall, somewhat weathered man with short, platinum blonde hair.

He held a tray in one hand, "Can I sit?"

"Oh, I'm sorry - please do!" Petra moved her drink slightly on the table. "Sorry...I was just thinking of how much everything _hurts_." she explained.

"No kidding!" he grimaced as he moved to take a seat.

"Petra," she began conversationally. "My name is Petra Ral."

"Auruo," he replied with a wide grin, "Auruo Bossard."

He took a swig of his drink before setting it on the table. "I'm surprised," Auruo began as his eyes casually looked to Petra, "You're such a tiny, cute girl...how is it that you wound up _here_?"

Petra flushed, "I...well. It's hard to explain."

"Ah, even better." he grinned, "Let's hear it."

She nervously tucked a stray wisp of auburn hair behind her ear, "Well...I...umm...feel really exposed telling you this, but you're my teammate. If I need to trust you to watch my back out there, I can probably trust you with my story, right?" she smiled with good humor.

Auruo boasted, "Of course! You couldn't spill your secrets to a more trustworthy man."

"Ha..._well_…" Petra began slowly, "I grew up in Trier. My family lived in the fields between Wall Maria and Shiganshina district. Since we were the last stop before the Wall, the Scout regiment would pass through and pick up supplies." She moved to take a sip of water, "Oh, we ran a supply store, my family." she detailed.

Auruo propped his face in his hands and nodded for her to continue.

"When I was little, a Scouting unit was preparing to head outside of the Wall. My father always believed in helping them...so he gifted them with supplies, free of charge. I passed out apples to them." She sighed as she fell back into her memories, "I think I realized then, that many of them wouldn't come back...so I cried. One of the soldiers comforted me...he gave me a flower from outside the Wall. He told me not to be afraid, and that there were many beautiful things out there."

She looked to Auruo, but his face was unmoving.

Petra rubbed the back of her neck nervously and continued, "He told me that our choices needed to be guided by our hopes, not our fears…I suppose I want to believe that I'm making that choice now…" She paused, "I'm still not sure." she smiled through her embarrassment, "...um...yeah, that's why I joined."

A long pause stretched between them.

Auruo stared at her disbelievingly. He finally spoke, "You joined the training corps because of a _flower_?!"

Half a second later he burst into uproarious laughter.

"Were you even _listening_?! That was just _part_ of the reason!" Petra exclaimed, mortified.

Auruo clutched his side and laughed harder.

"You're such a _jerk_! I should never have trusted you!" her brow furrowed angrily. She crossed her arms with a resentful huff.

As she retreated into her thoughts, she reflected.

_It was rather foolish._

Perhaps she really was just a starry-eyed, foolish girl. She had wanted to see the stretches of endless water, once called _oceans_. She had wanted to pick up wispy grains of sand and run them through her fingers, and she had wanted to see a field where those beautiful flowers grew...but she had also wanted to sleep and not feel the slight tremble of the earth as Titan feet stalked the outer walls.

There was a deep-rooted, overwhelming desire to break the stone-walled cage and fly into wondrous world where humans once freely roamed, but the terror of uncertainty gripped her.

It was a pull that thrilled and scared her. Petra's stomach began to knot as she questioned her decisions. A wave of homesickness hit her in the gut, and she felt herself withdraw internally.

Sensing the sudden shift, Auruo quickly quieted and cleared his throat. "Hey, I'm sorry...I guess I was just _surprised_ by your honesty."

Petra looked up from her daze.

"I'll tell you my story so we're even..." he offered amicably.

Before she could respond, Auruo lowered his elbows on the table, leaning forward and speaking softer than normal, "I have five younger brothers and sisters...and my parents struggle sometimes. They would never tell us...but I saw it." He sighed to himself as his fingers traced around the mug in front of him, "The stipend from being a recruit will help them...plus, I get free food and a warm bed here. That's one less mouth to feed."

"Auruo…"

"I also get to talk to pretty girls." he added slyly.

Petra couldn't help but smile. He was a little obnoxious...but he had let his own guard down to comfort her, and it filled her with a sudden fondness for him.

Auruo slumped slightly into his chair, oblivious to Petra's musings. "Yeah, I know it's not the most noble reason," he looked away, embarrassed, "...joining the military for money."

"I think you have your heart in the right place, Auruo. Helping your family so selflessly is...very noble."

He looked back at her and was met with her compassionate golden eyes and disarming smile.

Auruo's face flushed with a different kind of embarrassment, and he averted his eyes with a cough, "You know...you're a little quick to act so _wife-like_. You've got a long way to go before you can bag _me_." he teased.

Petra raised an eyebrow with good humor and laughed.

They continued to finish their evening meal at the mess hall.

X

"Today we'll do the_ Comrade Carry_ exercise." The instructor looked to the rows of trainees. "You will pair off in two's and run the obstacle course while carrying the weight of a fellow trainee." The instructor paced the rows of cadets eyeing each one of them meaningfully, "In the field, many things can go wrong...among them, the malfunction of Omni-gear. You've already trained extensively on building your personal endurance...this exercise will test your strength, endurance, and mental fortitude for when your fellow soldier is down."

The instructor's eyes bored deeply into the trainees, "Before we begin...let it be known that you should only attempt this if you're _confident_ you can retreat safely. The average human stride is 1.5 meters...I don't need to do the math to tell you that a Titan _will_ catch up to you if you don't have an escape route planned."

The cadets looked to each other with apprehension.

"Alright, pair up!" the instructor bellowed.

Petra and Auruo looked to each other.

"_So_..." Auruo drawled, "Shall I carry you bridal style, wife?"

Petra sighed and shot him an irritated glance, "No, I think you're supposed to-_hey_!"

She let our a cry of surprise as she felt her legs being scooped out from under her - the surprising imbalance instinctively caused her arms to quickly reach out. She grasped and pulled against Auruo's shoulders, her face inches from his.

She quickly re-adjusted with embarrassment, and allowed her arms some slack, "I thought you were _joking_?!"

Her open hand hit him against his chest in retribution.

"_Ow_! Fiesty harpy." Auruo scolded.

Petra closed her fist and punched him in the chest.

"_Oww_!"

"Stop the lover's quarrel you two!" belted out the instructor with reproach.

Petra flushed as her fellow classmates turned to them with amusement.

"I blame _you_ for this…" Petra whispered harshly.

"You should learn to be a meek, docile wife." Auruo countered with a grin.

Suddenly a sharp whistle cut through their chatter, which signaled the start of the course.

Petra let out a cry of surprise as she felt herself being carried swiftly across the field. The obstacle course simulated a structurally collapsed town. Granite stones littered the course with piles of rubble, disintegrated stairs, and collapsed columns.

Auruo easily carried her through the streets, making a quick left turn down an alley and up a small flight of stairs. It didn't take long for him to quickly make it across the finish line.

He looked down at Petra with an arrogant smirk, "See that? I got you out of there faster than anyone else."

Petra looked behind her. He did, in fact, make incredible time. Some of the recruits struggled with the extra weight, as their legs carried them across the obstacle-ridden field. It took several minutes until the last teams made it through.

"Alright cadets, we'll run the same drill back the way we came. Switch places!" the trainer commanded.

Auruo scratched the back of his neck with apprehension as he addressed the instructor, "Sir, I...don't think that's..._quite_ fair." He eyed Petra's petite form as he towered over her.

It didn't even occur to him that she would be required to do the same, she was one of the smallest cadets in the 100th training corps.

The instructor eyed Auruo with annoyance,"Quiet Bossard! We'll see how you feel when all that stands between you and becoming Titan puke is your teammate - you better _pray_ she can lift you." He turned to Petra, "Ral, get over here!"

Auruo stared at Petra helplessly. This would be an exercise of sheer embarrassment, he thought to himself.

To his surprise, Petra strode to him before pushing her back to his front. He flushed, surprised by the contact.

Without warning, she lowered her knees slightly and threw his arm over one shoulder, and his leg over the other shoulder - slinging him across the length of her shoulder blades. With a huff, she lifted him off the ground.

The whistle sounded and she began to run the course.

"Gah! _Wha_-?" Auruo let out an incoherent cry as he was carried roughly through the town.

"Easy..._oof_! _Go easy_!" he protested.

She huffed as she ran, "Stop whining!_ I'm saving your life_, remember?"

Petra made surprisingly good time as well. As soon as she crossed the finish line, she allowed her legs to buckle and the two of them landed in a messy heap.

As more teams crossed the finish line, classmates began to run to Petra with awe. The two were still on the ground; Petra with exhaustion and Auruo, recovering from shock.

One of the female cadets kneeled next to Petra, her arms wrapping around her shoulders as she hefted her upwards. The cadet exclaimed in surprise, "That was incredible! I had no idea that you were so strong!" She gushed happily, "How did you do it?"

"_Grain_-" Petra bit out as she struggled to catch her breath, "Back home, I had to carry sacks of grain from the store when the horse went lame."

A male cadet helped Auruo up from the ground, he grinned, "How's it feel, Auruo? Doing ok?"

"Fine…" he replied, "...just emasculated in front of the class is all."

The cadets broke into laughter.

Days and night passed, and the 100th grew stronger, trained harder, and prepared for the day of their conscription.

**==Author's Notes==**

Alright, confession time. Were it not for the fact that this is a Rivetra fic, I could see a very cute ship with Auruo x Petra. _WHOA_, lower the pitchforks...it's not a super popular pair...but I'm just sayin' it has an endearing quality to it.

As a note - Levi will be in the next chapter..._promise_! Stick with me!

Also...another confession from a pervy author. I've already started writing the naughty bits because those are the most fun to write. Yep...can't wait to unleash that upon the world. (^_^);;

Please R&R! It really makes my day :D


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